Ransom (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Ransom - Chapter One

One week earlier

Myles watched Jack's antics with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. And not for the first time, he mentally beat himself up for interrupting when Jack had finally gathered the courage to talk to Sue. They should have been dating by now, instead of still dancing clumsily around each other's. But as soon as lover boy learned his fair maiden wasn't leaving for New York, he retreated. Myles sighed before returning to his report.

"Luce, please?" Jack begged.

Lucy felt sorry for the agent leaning across her desk, but she promised Sue she wouldn't tell anyone. And as far as Lucy was concerned, Jack still belonged in the anyone category. She peeked over his shoulder at the almost empty bullpen. Myles was at his desk, seemingly absorbed in his paperwork. Tara and Bobby were still not back from wherever. D had been urgently called upstairs. And Sue was searching for a file in the archive room, which brought her attention back to the man in front of him.

"Jack, why don't you ask Sue yourself where she has been disappearing every evening this week?" suggested Lucy.

"Because it would be intruding," he replied logically.

She growled. "And asking me isn't?"

"Luce, she cancelled out pizza night twice already. Is she...is she seeing...someone?" he mumbled.

Yes, she's seeing someone. YOU!' Lucy was tempted to scream. A man with that much charm couldn't be that clueless, could he? "Jack, it's not what you think," she finally conceded.

"Then what is the big secret?" he asked, holding her gaze.

She shook her head. "Jack, your eyes have no effect on me whatsoever."

"Luce, you—" He stopped when he heard footsteps and lifted his head as Sue came in.

"I found it, Jack," Sue announced triumphantly, holding up a dusty file in her hand.

Unconsciously Jack matched her smile. Having forgetten about Lucy, he moved to Sue's desk.

"We could review that over Chinese food if you want," he offered after checking his watch. It was almost time to leave. A glint he couldn't place crossed her eyes.

"Sorry, Jack." She lowered her gaze. "I have a previous commitment," she murmured, wishing he could see her as more than a co-worker.

"No problem," he lied, skilfully hiding his disappointment. "We can resume early tomorrow morning." Jack's sudden change of expression at D's entrance saved her from answering. "Something wrong?"

"Why do folks think they can handle criminal matter better than professional?" he grumbled, his sober mood not escaping anyone.

"New case?" Jack inquired.

"Another young American woman was kidnapped in London four days ago," D reported.

"Isn't that the third kidnapping this month?" Sue pointed out.

"And we just learned about it?" said Myles, not quite believing it. "Please, tell me the parents were not stupid enough to handle the ransom demand by themselves?" He'd jumped to the only logically conclusion.

"Not only that," D said, sighing loudly. "They couldn't raise all the money so—"

"The parents didn't try to rip off the kidnapper, did they?" Jack asked in dismay only to see D nod at his assessment. "Was she found dead or alive?"

The other two victims had been released without much trauma.

"She hasn't been found yet," D revealed. "The kidnappers increased their demand."